Multiple pen tensioning means



Jan. 20, 1942.. 2,270,438

MULTIPLE PIN TENSIONING MEANS Filed Aug. 3, 1940 Patented Jan. 20, 1942 2,270,438 MULTIPLE PIN TENSIONING MEANS Ira B. Hill, Kent, Ohio, as

signor to Borg-Warner Corporation, ChicagofllL, a corporation of Illinois Application August 3, 1940, Serial No. 350,549 5 Claims. (Cl. 140-36) This invention relates to wire fabric weaving machines and more particularly to assemblies for applying a predetermined resistance to the passage of warp wires to a wire feeding and twisting quill peculiarly adapted for use in wire weaving machines.

It is an object of this invention to provide in combination with a wire feeding and twisting quill an improved assembly for applying a predetermined resistance to the movement of the warp wires prior to the introduction of these wires into the quill guides.

It is a more specific object to provide in such a tension applying assembly an arrangement for readily and selectively changing the value of the resistance that is offered to the passage of the warp wires.

Other and morespecific objects, advantages and uses of my invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in connection with the appended drawing which form a part thereof and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a broken away section view of the more essential parts of a weaving machine incorporating an assembly embodying a preferred form of my invention; p c

Fig. 2 is a view in partial axial section of the preferred embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2 but showing an alternative form of my invention; and

. Fig. 5 is across-sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring first generally to Fig. l, I have illustrated certain of the essential elements of a weaving machine necessary in order to bring out the relationship therewith of my improved quill wire tension assembly. The broken away portions of a weaving machine assembly illustrated in Fig. 1 are indicated generally at Ill and function to weave a particular form of wire cloth shown being discharged from the wireweaving machine and indicated generally at II. This weaving machine as a whole forms the subject matter of certain copending applications including that of one Walkley B. Ewing Serial No. 239,240, now Patent No. 2,223,317, and that of one Max P. Heinze Serial No. 239,257, new Patent No. 2,214,054, and for this reason only so much of this machine is being disclosed and described herein as is deemed necessary for an appreciation of the present improvement in the quill tensioning assembly in combination therewith. The particular form of wire fabric II in connection with the proper formation of which the present novel tensioning means has particular application comprises a plurality of pairs of longi tudinally extending warpwires l2 supporting therebetween accurately spaced ribbon-like filler.

wires l3 held in position with their major surfaces disposed at a predetermined angle with reference to the median plane of the cloth by means of the very important integrating twists I4. It will be readily appreciated that the proper formation and spacing of these integrating twists l4 determine the accuracy of construction of the fabric. In other words, where for example the resulting fabric is to be employed as a window screen, the elements of the fabric, particularly the transversely extending ribbon-like filler wires I3 must be woven in place to produce symmetrical pattern or otherwise irregularities in the material will produce objectionable and unacceptable opticalefiects. Therefore, the provision of a pre cise and readily adjustable tensioning means for applying a predetermined resistance to the passage of the warp wire to the quill assembly indicated generally at 20 becomes of critical importance.

My novel arrangement of means for applying a predetermined tension to the warp wires prior to the introduction of these wires into guides 2| extending from the rear end of the quill along the quill assembly to the point of discharge where the integral twist is formed, comprises a, tension assembly indicated generally at 30.

' This tensionassernbly 30 as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises an elongated body member 3| recessed intermediate the ends thereof to provide a substantially plane bearing surface 32 for the longitudinal extending warp wires l2, this surface being disposed slightly on that side of the axis of the body opposite to the recess. In other words, this surface 32 is spaced from and faces the axisof the body 3|, this spacing being preferablyof the order of the diameter of the wire to which tension is to be applied. Protruding from surface 32 are a plurality of tension pins 33, one longitudinally extending row of pins being provided for each wire. The respective warp wires l2 are passed ina circuitous path about selected corresponding ones of the pins 33 in corresponding patterns, the selection of pins depending upon the amount of resistance that it is desired to impart -to these wires. By means of this simple arrangement a wide range of resistances to the passage of the warp wires is available merely by changing the combination and number of pins about which the wires are passed. Of special importance is the fact that by maintaining a symmetrical corresponding arrangement or pattern for each wire with reference to the pins associated therewith, substantially identical tension can be applied to the respective wires of each pair.

The tension assembly 30 may be coupled to the quill assembly 20 in any well known manner, it being preferred to accomplish this result by forming the forward end of the body member 31 with a tubular socket portion 34 embracing the rear end portion of the quill and maintained in this relation by means of a pin 35 cooperating with a pair of axially extending slots 36 in the side wall of the tubular end portion. This arrangement affords the novel result that warp wires [2 are passed in a substantially undistorted path directly from surface 32 through tubular adaptor 34 into guides 2| of quill assembly 20.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, I have illustrated an alternative form of my invention differing from that described above in that the body member 4 is formed with recessed axially extending surfaces 42 and 42a, disposed symmetrically on the opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the body member 4|. Instead of having all of the pins extending from one surface, in this second modification the pins 43 have one portion 43a extending from surface 42a and a second portion 43b extending from surface 42. In this modification, one warp wire l2 extends along surface 42a and about pin portion 43a, while the other extends along surface 42 about pin portions 43b. While this second modification may be employed in certain situations, I have found that normally the modification of Fig. 2 is to be preferred for the reason that among others, both wires are brought out along the same surface 32 and the assembly can be readily threaded without the necessity of rotating the same.

Pins 33 as well as 43, may be readily provided by pressing lengths of stock into complementary bores formed in the body members 3| and 4|.

Warp wires l2 may be supplied to my tension assembly 30 from any suitable source such as spools (not shown) and fed to body member 3! through a tubular guide 45.

While I have disclosed my invention in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof I contemplate other equivalent arrangements and desire that the above be considered by way of example rather than by way of limitation and that my invention be defined by the appended claims which should be given a scope as broad as permitted by the prior art.

I claim:

1. In a wire weaving machinequill feed tension assembly including an elongated rotatable quill provided with means for guiding a pair of warp wires from the rear end thereof to the forward twisting end thereof, and means for delivering said warp wires under a predetermined tension to said guide means, said means comprising an elongated rotatable body member provided on its forward end with joint means for connecting 1 the same to the rear end of said quill for driving relation therewith, said member being particularly characterized by the provision between the ends thereof of a substantially fiat coaxially extending wire engaging surface offset from and facing the axis of said body member whereby both of said warp wires may be passed therealong and delivered to the rear end of said quill on opposite ends of the same diameter of said quill and means intermediate the ends of said body member for applying a predetermined resistance to the passage of said wires along said surface.

2. In a wire weaving machine quill feed tension assembly including a generally cylindrical rotatable quill provided with means for guiding a pair of warp wires from the rear end thereof to the forward end thereof, and means for delivering said warp wires under a predetermined tension to said guide means, said tensioning means comprising an elongated body member formed on its forward end with means for connecting the same to the rear end of said quill for driving relation therewith, said body member being particularly characterized by the provision of a substantially fiat coaxially extending surface offset from and facing the axis of said member whereby both of said warp Wires may be passed therealong and delivered to the rear end of said quill on opposite ends of the same diameter of said quill without distorting the same and means for engaging said wires for applying a predetermined resistance to their passage along said surface, said means comprising a plurality of pins protruding from said surface and adapted to have said wires extend thereabout in circuitous paths.

3. In a wire weaving machine quill feed tension assembly including a generally cylindrical rotatable quill provided with means for guiding a pair of warp wires from the rear end thereof to the forward end thereof, and means for delivering said warp wires under a predetermined tension to said quill guide means, said tensioning means comprising an elongated member formed on its forward end with means for connecting the same to the rear end of said quill for driving relation therewith, said connecting means including a tubular adaptor for embracing the rear end of said quill, said tubular adaptor being recessed axially, and pin means protruding radially from said quill and engaging said recessed portion of said tubular adaptor, said elongated member being further particularly characterized by the provision of a substantially fiat coaxially extending surface offset from and facing the axis of said member, whereby both of said warp wires may be passed through said tubular adaptor from the forward portion of said surface without being objectionably distorted, and means for engaging said wires for applying a predetermined resistance to their passage along said surface.

4. In a wire weaving machine quill feed tension assembly including a generally cylindrical rotatable quill provided with means for guiding a pair of warp wires from the rear end thereof to the forward end thereof, and means for delivering said war-p wires under a predetermined tension to said means comprising an elongated member formed on the forward end thereof with means for connecting the same to the rear end of said quill for driving relation therewith, said member being particularly characterized by the provision of a pair of substantially fiat coaxially extending surfaces offset on opposite sides of the axis of said member, a plurality of pins protruding from said faces, one warp wire being adapted to pass along each of said parallel faces and to be entwined in a circuitous path about a selected number of said pins for the purpose of applying a predetermined resistance to the passing of said wires along said member.

5. The combination with a quill of a wire weaving machine having a pair of tubular wire guides thereon of means for applying a predetermined tension to a pair of warp wires and delivering the sam to the rear end of said guides, said means including an elongated rotatable member comprising means on the forward end thereof defining a tubular adaptor for embracing the rear end of said quill, said adaptor being recessed axially and pin means extending 

